Defendant Dustin Jefferson, center, arrives to hear the jury's verdict Tuesday, June 9, 2016, in Newton. Jurors found Jefferson guilty of aiding and abetting first-degree murder for the death of his wife, Kerry O'Clair Jefferson.

Kerry O'Clair Jefferson's family and friends react after hearing the jury's verdict Tuesday in Newton. Jurors found Dustin Jefferson guilty of aiding and abetting first-degree murder for the death of his wife.

Defendant Dustin Jefferson, center, arrives to hear the jury's verdict Tuesday, June 9, 2016, in Newton. Jurors found Jefferson guilty of aiding and abetting first-degree murder for the death of his wife, Kerry O'Clair Jefferson.

Kerry O'Clair Jefferson's family and friends react after hearing the jury's verdict Tuesday in Newton. Jurors found Dustin Jefferson guilty of aiding and abetting first-degree murder for the death of his wife.

NEWTON — Jurors needed just 2 1/2 hours Tuesday to find Dustin Jefferson guilty of aiding and abetting first-degree murder in the death of his wife.

Law enforcement officials, led by prosecutor Laura Roan and Tama County Attorney Brent Heeren, convinced seven women and five men Jefferson, 40, helped his mother, Ginger Jefferson, kill his wife.

Kerry O’Clair Jefferson, 32, died Sept. 25, 2013, the victim of two fatal stab wounds to her neck.

“I’m relieved. That’s all I can say,” Marlene O’Clair, Kerry’s mother, said after Judge Mary Chicchelly read the verdict.

Though O’Clair Jefferson died in Tama County, the case was moved to Newton and Jasper County District Court after Chicchelly granted a change of venue.

Jurors in Tama County previously convicted Ginger Jefferson of first-degree murder. She is serving a mandatory life sentence with no possibility of parole.

Dustin Jefferson dropped his chin slightly and shook his head back and forth as Chicchelly read the verdict. He did not otherwise appear to react.

O’Clair Jefferson’s family and friends, however, cried and hugged each other after jurors were dismissed from service.

The trial in Newton represented the state’s third attempt to convict Dustin Jefferson. The first in Tama County ended during jury selection after defense attorney Thomas Gaul raised questions about minority representation in the panel. Jefferson is a member of the Meskwaki tribe, which is based at its settlement near Tama and Toledo.

In Jefferson’s second trial, also in Tama County, jurors did not reach a unanimous verdict. The vote ended 11-1 to convict, according to the jury foreman, who said he was the lone holdout and was not convinced of Jefferson’s guilt.

The state alleged Ginger Jefferson and her son committed murder after an alcohol-fueled argument developed and after O’Clair Jefferson reported Dustin Jefferson’s whereabouts to law enforcement officials. The Meskwaki Nation Police Department had an outstanding arrest warrant for Jefferson for multiple counts of sex abuse.

During her closing argument Tuesday in Newton, Roan asked jurors to answer a pair of simple questions.

“Who had the motive in this case? Who had the arrest warrant?” Roan said.

O’Clair Jefferson was angry that day, according to Roan, and gave her husband up to police.

“He knew he was going to jail. He was dodging the cops. She ratted him out,” Roan said.

Roan also reminded jurors an autopsy revealed O’Clair Jefferson suffered more injury than the fatal stab wounds, suggesting Ginger Jefferson could not have acted alone.

“Ginger Jefferson at 60 years of age and almost 80 pounds lighter (than O’Clair Jefferson) did not beat the hell out of her daughter-in-law,” Roan said.

Dustin Jefferson must have helped, Roan added later.

“Without his assistance how does she even get it done?” Roan asked jurors.

Evidence also showed more of O’Clair Jefferson’s blood on Dustin Jefferson’s sandal than on Ginger Jefferson’s sneaker and just as much on Dustin Jefferson’s clothing, according to Roan.

Defense attorney Thomas Gaul took exception to that characterization during his closing statement.

“That’s simply not true. ... No. No. No,” Gaul told jurors.

He again showed jurors photos taken by investigators of the footwear, shirts and jeans collected from Dustin and Ginger Jefferson. Gaul noted large stains and numerous drops on Ginger Jefferson’s items and “just a few drops” on Dustin’s things. Those, Gaul added, could easily have been transferred from Ginger Jefferson to her son.

Gaul also talked about the murder weapon, which Jefferson told police was his own.

“Yes it’s his knife — used by Ginger Jefferson,” Gaul said.

During her closing argument, Roan reminded jurors of Dustin and Ginger Jefferson’s actions after the fatal attack.

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(1) comment

Thank-you for all the details about evidence. Clearly this was a difficult case for everyone. Let this also be a warning about getting drunk and getting in a fight. Many have committed crimes while drunk that they would never do sober.

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